Fountain-brush



W. GRACE.-

FOUNTAIN BRUSH.

Wl TNESSES W. GRACE.

FOUNTAIN BRUSH.

W. GRACE.

FOUNTAIN BRUSH.

APPLxcATmN msn :UNE E. |919.

Patented May 11, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

v mmm WL MFG/MCI WITNESSES nomas W. GRACE.

FUUNTMN BRUSH.

APPLICATION man :uns 6.19l9.

Patnted May 11, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4 w/mfssfs UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

WALTER GRACE, 0F ACKLAND, NEW ZEALAND, ASSIGNOR TO FOUNTAINy TOOTH-BRUSHES LIMITED, OF AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND, A CORPORATION.

FOUNTAIN-BRUSH.

To all whom t ma concern:

Be it known t at I, TALTER GRACE, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, and a resident of Auckland, New Zealand, have invented a newand Improved Fountain- Brush, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a fountain brush and is adapted to be embodiedin brushes for various purposes, such as toothbrushes, shaving brushes,shoebrushes, and the like.

More particularly the invention relates to a fountain brush involving areservoir or container adapted to receive a replaceable refill cartridgecontaining plastic or other material to be delivered to the bristlesthrough a hollow shank forming a conduit leading to the brush head, feedmeans being provided to cause the paste or other material to be extrudedto the bristles as required.

In its entirety and in its preferred form the invention ls characterizedby various distinctive features resulting in material advantages, amongwhich are the following: Simplicity is promoted and greater facilityattained in the re-charging of the brush with the paste or othermaterial and greater cleanliness and conformity with the laws u ofhygiene are attained by eliminating unsanitar features, particularly inthe toothbrush or example, in which the principle is carried out ofpreserving the tooth paste against contact with foreign matter or withparts of the feed means or other structural features which might prove amenace to the health of the user.

In fountain brushes employing a refill cartridge insertible andremovable through the rear end of the reservoir handle, the removal ofthe cartridge is exceedingly difficult owing to the formin of a vacuumin front of the forward end t ereof due to an air tight closure at thispoint produced by the paste, and this objection I overcome by providin aseparable joint between the forward en of the reservoir and the shank ofthe brush head, permitting the insertion and removal of the refillcartridge through the front end of the reservoir handle, whereby thevacuum opposing the removal of the refill cartridge is obviated, sincein removing the cartrid e through the front of the reservoir handle.after uncoupling the brush, there is no vacuum at the rear end of thecartridge; andthe removal of the cartridge Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented May 11, 1920.

Application led June 6, 1918. Serial No. 302,131.

through the front of the handle is further facilitated by providing arefill cartridge of novel form as follows: A lateral flange is formed onthe cartridge at the front end and is designed for several importantpurposes: first, to provide a finger-nail grip for the easy extractionof the empty cartridge; second, to provide, through the clamping of thefiange between the members of the joint referred to, for the secureclamping of the cartridge in a manner to prevent leakage of the pastearound the forward end of the cartridge; and third, to provide a rigidlocking of the cartridge against accidental longitudinal displacementunder the pressure of the feed. Again, the refill cartrid e which is atubular holder having a throng bore is originally plugged at itsopposite ends with cork or equivalent disks the front one of which isremoved when the cartridge ispositioned, while the rear cork serves as afollower to be advanced in the cartridge under the action of the feedmeans, and the rear cork is characterized by a distinctive form wherebythe actuating feed device will exert a wed ing action on the cork topress it close y against the walls of the cartridge as the cork isadvanced, thereby preventin leakage rearwardly between the cork an thecartridge \valls.- Also, the rear cork and the rear end of the refillcartridge are correspondingly tapered so that when the cartridge isinserted in the reservoir for use and in case the cork has had timesince leaving the factory to lose some of its ,elasticity so that it hasmore or less become molded to the size and shape of the interior of thecartridge, the action of the advancing feed device in forcing the corkstill farther into they narrowing rear end of the' lcartridge, willadditionally compress the cork and cause it to have a tighter fit tothereby contribute in preventing the possibility of leakage of the pasteabout the exterior of the cork.

A characteristic also of my invention is that a feed means involving athreaded plunger is employed and adapted to be advanced by turningmovement of an actuating member having a mating thread, and the plungeris prevented from turning and thereby required to advance by reason of acorrelation between the plunger and elements appurtenant to the refillcartridge.

Also, in connection with the feed plunger which in practice discharges aquantity of paste suliicient for individual use by one turn, owing tothe pitch of the feed threads` a. quick return of the plunger 1sprovided for in order to facilitate the withdrawal of the plungerl tothe rearward position after rechar ing of the reservoir with a refillcal-tri fe, and specifically this quick return is mate possible bymaking provision whereby a rearward pull on the plunger will cause thethreads thereon to jump or slip over the threads of the actuatingdevice, there being a relative contraction aud expansion of the engagingthreads to permit of the relative slipping of' the same.

Furthermore, my invention in its prel'crred embodiment is made toreflect iniportant coiisiderations with respect to the generalassemblage, whereby convenience is promoted in assembling anddisasseililing the parts, tin4 arrangement being such that the couplingof the detachable brush head shank to the reservoir securely clamps thecartridge in position and otherwise maintains the complete assemblageagainst accidental displacement of any of the parts, and similarly thedetaching of the brush bead shank from the reservoir permitsl ol' thecomplete disassembling of the parts for charging the reservoir with anew cartridge or for permitting a ready and effective cleansing of theparts.

Other characteristics and advantages oi' my improved construction willappear as the description proceeds.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification, it heilig understood that the drawing are merelyillustrative of practical examples of the invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tooth brush formed in accordance withthe present invention;

Fig. 2 is a thereof;

Fig. 3 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section of thetubular handle constituting the reservoir of the brush;

Fig. 4 is a detail view partly in section and partly in elevationshowing the coupling end of the brush head shank adapted to bedetachably connected with the tubular handle;

Fig. 5 is a detail view partly in section and partly in side elevationof the insertible cartridge and the feed means:

Fig. 6 is a cross section on the line 6 6,

longitudinal sectional View Fig. 2;

Fig. T 1s a transverse sectional view on the line 7 1, l* 1g. 1, on anenlarged scale,

showing one position of a device for closing the 'discharge orifice ofthe brush head;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 but showing the closure device in theposition of closing the discharge orifice of the brush head;

Fig. 9 is a detail view in longitudinal vertical section of a modifiedform of -the brush head;

Fig. 10 is a cross sectional view brush head shown in Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a detail view in longitudinal vertical section showing afurther modified form oi' the brush head and with the parts in assembledposition as in use;

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 11 but showing the detachable brushback and bristles separated from the integral portion of the brush head;

Fig. 13 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modification of theinvention involving a different form of the feed means;

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 13 but showing the parts in differentpositions;

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view showing amodification of the clamped end of the refill cartridge and clamp meanstherefor;

Fig. 16 is a view partly in longitudinal vertical section and partly inside elevation, the "view being given to indicate the embodiment of theinvention in a shoebrush;

Fig. 17 is a top plan view of the shoebrush;

Fig. 18 is a transverse vertical section on the line 18-1S, Fig. 16;

Fig. 19 is a view of the inner side of the closure cap or clamp heademployed in the illustrated shoebrush for clamping the iusertiblecartridge in position and acting to form a portion of the passage forthe paste or the like on its way to the discharge nozzle;

Fig. 20 is a fragmentary view partly in side elevation and partly inlongitudinal vertical section of a portion of the reservoir handle ofthe shoebrush;

Fig. 21 is a partly sectional side elevation of a form ofactuating-means for the feed plunger suitable for employment with theshoe brush;

Fig. 22 is a part-1y sectional side elevation of the refill cartridge;

Fig. 23 is a cross section on 234-23. Fig. 22.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 to 8 and Figs. 22 and 23, areservoir handle is provided consisting of an outer shell 25 whichreceives in its forward portion a refill cartridge 26 from which thematerial by feed means hereinafter described is discharged through alongitudinal duct 27 in the shank 28 of a brush head designatedgenerally by the numeral 30. there being a lateral branch passage 29discharging to the bristles 31.

The refill cartridge 2G consists of a tube preferably of celluloid,xylonite, or similar of the the line material filled with the toothpasteor other material and adapted to be vended as a separate commodity. Therear end of the cartridge is closed by a cork plug 32 and the forwardend by a cork or disk 32", the latter being adapted to be removed anddiscarded when the cartridge is placed in the brush. The rear cork 32 isadapted to be advanced by the feed means and arranged t0 act as afollower for the aste as it is pushed forwardly in the cartridge 26. Thefeed means in the form shown in Figs. l to 6 includes a head 33 on aplunger rod 34, said head advantageously being tapered and adapted to bereceived in a tapering. recess 35 in the rear face of the cork 32, saidrecess producing a surrounding flange 36 which is adapted by the wedgingaction of the tapered head 33 to be pressed firmly outward against thewalls -of the shell 26 to thereby insure a tight closure of the shelland prevent leakage of the paste or the like rearwardly between the corkand shell. Also, the rear end of the shell of the refill cartridge 26 isbeveled as at 26 so as to present at the rear end a forwardly convergentinterior, the purpose of which is to insure compression of the cork 32.Thus, as seen best in Fig. 2, the cork 32 at its flange portion 36 orrear end will. when in place, flare in correspondence with the taper26a. Therefore, if, after the cartridge has been vended, any materialtime has elapsed and the cork become more or less hardened or set, theaction of the feed means in forcing the cork forwardly1 into the shell26 will compress the rear end by forcing the same into the narrow boreof the cartridge.

The rear end 37 of the plunger rod 34 is enlarged and provided withexternal threads as indicated at 37 which engage internal threads on afeed barrel 39 receivable in the tubular handle 25 rearwardly of therefill cartridge 26. 0n the feed barrel 39 is a head 4() constituting acap for the handle 25, Said head havingr an annular flange or skirt 41embracing said handle at the rear end. The skirt is spaced laterallyoutward from the barrel 39 so as to accommodate the rear end of thehandle 25. The interior of the skirt 41 has an annular groove 42 whichreceives the beveled bead 43 formed annularly on the barrel 25 at itsextreme rear end. The rear end of the barrel 25 as best seen in Fig. 3is slotted longitudinally, the slots extending through the bead 43whereby said rear end is made resilient and is adapted to spring intoplace in a manner for the bead 43 to engage in the groove 42. Similarly,the rear end of the handle will yield to a rearward pull on the cap 40so that the skirt 41 may slip over the bead 43 in removing the feedbarrel and plunger rod from the handle. The plunger rod 34 is slottedlongitudinally at its rear end, the slots extending through thethreaded, enlarged terminal 37 and into the shank as best seen in Fig.2. whereby tbe rear end of the plunger is resilient so that the frontend may be placed against a table or any surface affording a resistance.so that pressure exerted forwardly on the cap 4() will cause thethreaded feed barrel 39 to slip over the threads 37. thereby giving aquick return of the plunger rod to the rearwaid position for anotheroperation. The threads 37, 38 in practice have a 1)itch such that oneturn of the cap 4() will cause a sufficient quantity of the paste or thelike to be extruded to answer for a. single service. To prevent theplunger rod 34 turning with the cap 40 and said rod thus kept fromfeeding. I provide an interengagement between said rod and a partappurtenant to the refill cartridge for which purpose in the form of theinvention shown in Figs. 1 to 6 the head 33 is made polygonal orotherwise non-circular in cross section and a corresponding formation isprovided in the cork 32, the interior of the depression 35 being thusmade to conform to the cross section of the head 33. Thus there can beno turning of the head 33 relatively to the cork 32. Similarly. the cork32 is prevented from turning in the refill cartridge by being madenon-circular iu cross section the cartridge corresponding interiorly`and said cartridge is hexagonal for example or otherwise non-circularexteriorly and conforms to a similar formation in the interior of thehandle 25 as indicated at 4T. Figs. 3 and 6. Thus, the plunger rod 3lwhen its head 33 is engaged in the recess of the cork 32 can have noturning movement and hence the turning of the4 cap 40 and the feedbarrel 39 will necessarily cause an advance of the plunger rod forfeeding the material.

The shank 28 of the brush head 30 is :formed at its rear end with anannular socket 48 internally threaded as at 51 and at the base of saidsocket is an annular seat 49 which is adapted to accommodate a lateral,outwardly directed annular flange 50 0n the adjacent end of the refillcartridge 26, while the threads 51 are adapted to take onto externalthreads 52 on the rear end of the handle A25. The arrangement is suchthat the connection effected between the rear end of the brush shank 28and the adjacent end of the tubular handle serves to effectively securethe refill cartridge against'longitudinal displacement under thepressure of the feed against the front edges of the cartridge. Theflange 50 moreover is clamped between the seat 49 and the adjacent endof the handle 25 and not only is the cartridge securely held but theleakage of paste about the flange 50 and rearwardly along the cartridgebetween the same and the walls of the reservoir is effectivelyprevented. ln addi- In the form shown in Fig. a flange 5U t on the shellof the refill cartridge 26 1s accommodated on a correspondingly taperedseat 49 formed on the shank 28*1 of the brush head. Said shank has athreaded flange 48, the threads 51 of which engage the externallythreaded end 52'1 on the tubular handle 25a and the end of said handleengaging the flaring flange 50 is made correspondingly conical. Thearrangement,like that first described, tends to insure a tight joint atthe flange 50, affords a finger-nail grip, and effectively clamps thecartridge in position.

In the form illustrated in Figs. l, 2, i' and 8, means for closing thepaste discharge 29 is provided in the form of a split band 53 embracingthe brush head 3() formed with a knob 54 for convenience in turning. Theopposed ends of the split band are separated sufficiently to permitdischarge of the paste when the split is adjacent to the dischargeorifice 29. ()n the other hand, a. slight turning movement of the band53 on the head 30 will cause the band to effectIA a closure of thedischarge orifice for protecting the paste against hardening orcontamination. In Figs. 9 and 10, the cut-oli' or closure of thedischarge duct is provided for through the medium of a movable brushback. 1n this form the duct 27" in the head 30 has a short lateralbranch 29 which is adapted to communicate with a transverse duct 29b ina brush back 30b carrying the bristles 30e. Said brush back is dove-tailin cross section as best seen in Fig. l() and is slidable in a dove-tailgroove 30d in the head 30a. A stop shoulder 30f at the forward end ofthe dove-tail groove 30 limits the movement of the brush back 30b sothat when the brush back is moved to the limit of its inward positionthe ducts 29, 29" will register and paste may discharge to the bristles.Un the other hand with the brush back 30 moved slightly to place theducts 29a, 29b out of register, the paste discharge is cut ofi'. inFigs. 11 and l2 a further modified brush head 30S is shown having aseparate brush back 30 formed with a truncated conical protuberance 301adapted to be received in a correspondingly tapered lateral socket 29cformed in the brush head 30g. An L-shaped passage (29, 29) is formed inthe brush back 3U and its stud 301 and adapted to be brought into or outof register with the duct 27 by a relative turning of the brush back.The brush head 30 has convergent studs 30k adapted to be engaged ordisengaged by the beveled ends 30m'on the brush back 30h by end to end.

In Figs. 13 and 14 the handle is formed with tubular telescopingsections. The outer shell 25h telescopes over a rigid inner shell orreservoir 39Il and to which the shank 28b of the brush head is secured.The annular socket 48 on said brush shank 28b engages the internalthreads 52h on the reservoir 39k The reservoir 39 receives the refillcartridge 26c having a rear cork 32", recessed to receive the taperedend 33 of the plunger rod 34a. In this form of the invention the feedmeans provided makes it unnecessary to prevent relative turning of thecork 32" and lunger rod 33. Hence, the latter may he o truncated conicalshape and turn in the cork. The feed means in Figs. 13 and lll includethreads 37 throughout the length of the plunger rod 34 and said rodengages internal threads in the rear end 57 of the fixed reservoir 39a.The rear end of the reservoir is slotted longitudinally as at 56 topermit of a quick restoring of the plunger rod to the rearward positionafter completing an advance and discharging the contents of thecartridge. The externally threaded plunger rod 34 is integral with a cap49a formed integral on the telescoping shell 25". The slots 56 providesufficient resiliency in the reservoir 39 to permit the latter to expandand yield when a rearward pull is exerted on the cap 40 and plunger rod34 so that the threads 37 may slip over the internal threads in the end57 of the reservoir. The shell 25 is spaced sufficiently from thereservoir 99a to permit expansion of the slotted end of said reservoir.The front end of shell 25h extends substantially to the plane of the endof the plunger rod and of the advancing cork 32", and thus constitutes agage to determine the amount of material in the cartridge. The cartridge26 is made in cross section in practice to correspond with that of thecartridge 26. in order that the same refill cartridge may answer bothforms of the brush. The first described construction of handle lendsitself the better to economical use of silver or the like in making upthe handle as compared with the telescoping form of construction.

Reverting to the dischar e ducts it will be noted that the final outFetin the brush head in Figs. l and 2, is through a protuberance 58projecting slightly beyond the front surface of the brush head so as toextend partly into the bristles, the purpose being to carry the pasteWell forward into the bristles, to insure a better distribution of thepaste among the bristles While still remaining clear of contact with theteeth. Similarly, the discharge of the paste is the turning Vof thebrush backV through studs 58, 58b and 58 in the conistructions shown inFigs. 9 to 12.

The described invention lends itself to embodiment in brushes other thantoothbrushes, as for example, a shoebrush as illustrated in Figs. 16 to21 in which a brush back 59 of suitable form having bristles 59"l has alongitudinal tubular handle 6() formed or secured thereon. The handle isshown as sustained by front and rear standards 6l, 62 rigid with thebrush back. The handle 60 is adapted to receive the described refillcartridge 26 having the flange 50 clamped in this instance to its seat49b by a cap 64 on the adjacent end of the handle 60. Said cap has anannular flange or socket 48, the internal threads 51c of which engageexternal threads on the adjacent end 52c of the handle. The cap 64 hasan L-shaped duct 65 formed therein adapted when the cap is in place tocommunicate with the interior of the rell cartridge to receive thecontents of the latter. The duct or passage 65 dischar s to a passage 66extending through the ont standard 61 and the brush back 59 anddischarging laterally as at 6T through a protuberance 58d on the face ofthe brush back and extending slightly into the bristles 59. Thecartridge 26 employed in the brush is equipped with the describedrecessed cork 32 receiving the head 33 of the plunger rod 34. said rodin the illustrated arrangement being of the form having the enlargedthreaded rear end 3T slotted as at 46. The threads of the end 3T areengaged by internal threads 38" on a feed barrel 39b formed with a head40" for turning the same in the handle 60. The feed barrel is slotted atits forward end as at 68 to give it resiliency for expansion andcontraction and terminates in an annular bead 69 adapted to spring intoan annular groove T0 in the interior of the handle 60. 'Ihus an outwardpull on the head 40" will release the bead 69 when the cartridge isexhausted, the slotted ends of the plunger rod 34 and feed barrel 39bpermitting the necessary yielding for releasing the spring barrel fromthe handle and permitting a. quick return of the plunger rod to therearward po sition.

I would state in conclusion that while the illustrated examplesconstitute practical embodiments of my invention, I do not limit myselfstrictly to the mechanical details herein illustrated, since manifestlythe same can be considerably varied Without departure from the spirit ofthe invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. In a fountain brush adapted to receive material to be discharged; atubular handle element, a turnable feed element, one of said elementsbeing longitudinally slotted to yield radially relatively to the other,and means adapted to cause discharge of the material b v the turning ofsaid turnable feed element.

2. In a fountain brush adapted to receive material to be discharged asrequired; feed" means to discharge said material, said feed meansincluding a plunger rod having a threaded portion slotted longitudinallyto impart resiliency thereto, and a threaded actuating element for saidplunger rod and engaging the threads thereof, the slotted end of theplunger rod being yieldable to a relative longitudinal movement of saidrod and actuating element, permitting the threads of the plunger rod toslip over those of the actuating element to afford an optional slow orquick return of the plunger rod to the rearward position.

3. In a fountain brush adapted to receive material to be discharged asrequired; feed means to discharge said material, said feed meansincluding a plunger rod having threads, and a threaded actuating elementtherefor, one of the same engaging the threads of the other and radiallyyieldable to permit of the threads of the one slipping over the threadsof the other for a quick return of the plunger rod from an advanceposition.

4. In a fountain brush adapted to constitute a container for material tobe discharged, feed means to discharge material therefrom including aplunger rod adapted to be accommodated in the handle element, a turnablefeed barrel in the handle element adapted to actuate said plunger rod,and a member on said feed barrel embracing the rear end of the handleelement, said rear end of the handle element being longitudinallyslotted to be radially yieldable and engaging said `member of the feedbarrel permitting detachment of the latter by a relative longitudinalpull.

5. In a fountain brush, a reservoir handle element havin a slotted rearend radially' yieldable, saidZ reservoir being adapted to containmaterial for being discharged, feed means for said material including aplunger rod ada ted to be accommodated in said handle element, aturnable feed barrel in the handle element adapted to actuate saidplunger rod, and an annular member on said feed barrel embracing theslotted rear end of the handle element, said handle element at theslotted end and the member embracing the same having 4respectively anannulaibead, and an annular groove to receive said

